The Washington critic., 1887-05-28
WOMEN AT THE POLLS.
A Correspondents Experience Out in Wash
ington Territory.
The MICA PRECINCT ELECTION.
A Sort of Family Affair and General
0ossipping Bee.

A correspondent Of the Couricr.Jour,ai,
in far-of Washington territory, recently
attended an election at which the women
voted. It was his first experience Of the
kind, and he narrates II at length. The
election was held In Mica precinct, and the
principal issue involved was q county seat
question. It was several hours after the
polls were opened before the women voters
made their appearance, but they came In
force at last, led on BY family party, q
now, says tho correspondent, from every
direction, as II by preconcerted arrange
ment, wagons drove up containing similar
households, for these people had no SER
wants with whom to leave their children.
Not only were all tho little ones brought
along, but enormous jugs Of milk and
timidly and the ladies swarmed In upon us,
moved the benches around the fire, block
aided the doorway, and took entire posses
sion Of the premises. They wero farmers'
wives, buxom, sensible, and energetic. A
more domestic scene one seldom secs. Here
mother nursing her baby, there fond
father trolling his infant daughter, yonder
a knot Of women exchanging recipes for
mixed pickles, and, again, an eager group
settling out lunch aud passing pie and
sliced pork to their friends.
BY noon the building was fairly packed,
ana the picnic appearance increased with
every arrival. Biscuits, sandwiches, cake,
sauce. boiled eggs, canteens Of cold tea,
was confpunding.
''If you iron ginghams and calicoes on
the wrong side they look"
NEiis very best COW. The snow was deep,
and all the poor thing got to eat was
moss''-
aThey say her yictuals taste Of pine gum
hall the time. Drips from the pitch
u pulled the poor child's tooth myself,
.'who shall you vote for, Sue y,
.Me' l don't know. Jack amt here
Mamma, give me some pie, too ~
"Oh, Elizh, at the polls after all ~
eyes. Didn't want TO come o bit Bill
Is Republican and l told him I'D vote Dem.
ocrstlc sure II he made me come. But he
said no matter, 60 long as We both vote for
"The ground squirrels just ate us up
alive. And we haul water two miles to
cook with. l never was SO discouraged''-
"Pooh ! guess we're every bit as sharp
'Don'tvote for spicer. They say he treats
bis wife perfectly awful !"
"Cucumbers taste bitter that come from
that cold hill. Grow 80 slow, you know"
MEASLES
During momentary lull there appeared
In the doorway portly and venerable
rancher.
.How DIDO, John Melville. Brought your
wife 2"
"No.n
,"Well. she's heap more sensible than
the rest of us,n
"Too bad, Mr.. Melville. She promised
me to come and vote the Prohibition ticket.n
"Little MilIy Is sick. Wife had to stay
home," said portly John
"6ickY What ails herr'
"We looked In the doctor books yester-
measles"
''Measles y,
"Mercy p A panic was precipltated.
tLet me out OF here %
"Sarah Jane You come away from that
door,"
.'Measlesl Don't step inside"
''Go way, John. Go-'way!"
Sim going right home," cried one.
$50 am l." echoed another.
And a hustle Of preparation for immediate
"Put in your votes before you leave,
ladies'" said the Inspector, anxiously.
"lndeed ! won't. l never thought Of
this. its the last time III ever come to
And their apprehensions were not stilled
until we urged infectious John Melville to
retire from the scene. This John did, pro-
testing, however, that his child was better
than yesterday, and didn't have measles at
ALL But his explanation came too late, and
be was forced TO stay far away beneath the
trees.
THEY VOTE
Dat L.,
put away, and the babies had had their
maps, and the ladies had exhausted all the
gossip, general movement was made to-
ward departure. 1t was q long ways home,
and the COWS to milk, and the water to
draw, and the supper to get, and the break
fast dishes to wash at the heels Of oil
After such q festival one might suppose
was not the case. 1t had been postponed
as long as possible, and now that It must
actually be done they went at 1t spitefully.
Here was husband handing rival tick
ets to his wife and saying for the public
ear "You can vote whichever you like"
at the same time gripping his own ballot
with resolute air and jaw OF such out.
line as made one hope his spouse would
vote as he did In the interests Of domestic
peace. There dame was imperatively
thrustlng on her husband the prohibition
ticket.
These prohibition ladies advanced firmly
t. the polls and gave In their ballots with
an air Of satisfaction. Beyond these few
who had definite personal purpose, the
voting was perfunetory and done with
manifest dislike. The ladies each handed
her ballot to the inspector hesitatingly,
watched curiously as he put It In the box,
and turned away with toss Of the head.
"There It's the first time ever voted,
ard It'll be the last !'
~ hope Spokane Falls gets the county
seat so we can stay at home next time"
"You men must be growing weak minded
when you drag an old lady like mo out to
vote. I'm seventy years old. Old enough
to know better l'
And with contemptuous air the danes
retired to their wagons. Alas The per-
versity Of human nature While many OF
their sisters In the east sigh for suffrage,
these who have 1t hold 1t In disdain.
ASK HER AGE.
Now came young Tyndall and his wife
on horseback, and there was quite stir
among the ladies who still fingered In the
wagons and the "baches" around the trees
Tyndall had purchased the Oldest and
largest rancho In the precinct, and had
brought bride from San Frapcisco several